Fecal examination device

ABSTRACT

A fecal examining device comprising a closure member in the form of a tray adapted to be fitted upon the open lower end of a solution-receiving receptacle or cylinder, said closure member or tray including a central, open-top cup that extends into the cylinder for a short, predetermined distance. A cap is provided for closing the open top of the cup or well when the tray is not attached to the cylinder. A perforated piston is provided for manual movement within the cylinder to thereby separate ova from the fecal material in solution.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationsSer. No. 150,357 filed June 7, 1971, now abandoned, which is acontinuation-in-part of Ser. No. 255,857 filed May 22, 1972, now U.S.Pat. No. 3,819,045 of June 25, 1974 whose entire disclosures areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to means for examining and analyzing fecalmatter and has for its object to provide a device which will simplifyand render effective the securement of, separation of, the feces fromthe ova or eggs of parasites such as might be contained within the fecalmatter.

At the present time, the examination of fecal matter is had by a patientbeing given a disposable container which he returns containing aspecimen, to a physician or laboratory. A measured amount of the fecalmatter is then placed in another container and is thoroughly mixed intoa solution with a specific gravity greater than water to thereby floatthe ova from the broken up specimen.

The strained solution is then filtered through a strainer into anothercontainer. The strained solution is then poured into still anothercontainer to the point of overfilling; namely, a convex meniscus. Aslide is then placed on the meniscus and is allowed to stand for atleast ten minutes and it is then removed with some of the solutionadhering to it. A cover slip is then placed on the slide and it isexamined under a microscope.

With the device of the present invention, a number of the stepscustomarily pursued, are eliminated and the procedure involved issimplified. The patient is given a disposable fecal unit which will holdonly the desired amount of the fecal matter. The bottom of the unitwhich constitutes a tray or holder for the fecal matter is placed on thelower end of a cylinder and solution is poured into the cylinder. Thecylinder can be, if and when necessary, provided with a removableclosure cap at the top.

The cylinder is half filled with flotation solution and mixed thoroughlywith the feces. The foraminous-bottom piston or strainer is placedwithin the cylinder and is pushed downwardly to a variable point belowthe fluid level. The cylinder is then filled to a point of meniscus, anda slide is placed on the meniscus to be later removed with solutionadhering to it. A coverslip is placed on the slide and the slideexamined under the microscope.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which anillustrative embodiment of the invention is shown and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a fecal examining deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the combined fecal holder or tray thatforms the bottom closure for the cylinder;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the tray or holder of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the strainer piston;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the strainer piston, with the stem or rodthereon being shown in section;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the tray or holder showing a closure cap fittedover the normally open top of the cup on the tray; and,

FIG. 7 is a face view of the detached paddle or scoop.

The device as shown, consists of four main elements; namely, a mixingchamber or container in the form of a cylinder or tube 1; a bottomclosure member or tray 4 constituting a carrier for the fecal matter; apiston-like strainer 3, and a closure cap 19 for the top of the tray 4.

The body of the device, consisting of the cylinder 1, may be made of anysuitable material and is preferably of a transparent nature to permitthe mixing operation to be observed. The cylinder 1 is open at itsopposite ends and if and when desired the upper end can be closed bymeans of a conventional snap-on type of closure cap 2.

The lower end of the cylinder 1 is adapted to be closed during the useof the device by means of a tray-like closure member or fecal holder 4shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. Said tray or holder includes an outerperipheral wall or flange 8 and disposed within, and locatedconcentrically of the wall or flange 8, is an inner and higher annularwall 5 that cooperates with a bottom wall or floor 7 in forming anopen-top well 6.

Extending laterally from the side wall 19a of a closure cap 19 for thetray or holder 4 is a frangible neck 9 (FIG. 6), which connects to aremovable paddle or scoop 10a provided with a handle portion 10 and head11. The paddle or scoop 10a can be separated when needed from the coveror closure cap 19 by fracture of the neck 9.

The tray or holder 4 can be applied to the end of the cylinder 1 with atight or force fit provided with any type detent means if necessary toengage with the inner wall surface of the cylinder 1 near the lower endthereof. After the tray 4 containing the fecal matter is fitted in placeon the end of the cylinder, the wall 5 will very closely fit within thecylinder and will extend upwardly therein for a short distance and itwill frictionally engage against the inner surface of the cylinder wallso that a positive prevention of leakeage will be effected. The fingerpiece 13 is for the removal of the bottom tray from closure 19.

The piston-like strainer generally indicated at 3, has a cup-shaped bodyprovided with a circumferential wall 16 and a perforated or foraminousbottom wall 17 having thus a plurality of holes 18. Located centrally ofthe body of the strainer is a vertical or upstanding stem or rod 15 bymeans of which the strainer can be manipulated.

The tray or holder 4 of the device may be made of disposable materialand when filled and capped by the closure cap 19 and returned by thepatient, it is placed on the bottom of the cylinder 1 as shown in FIG.1, with the open top of the wall 6 facing upwardly within the cylinder.

The closure cap 19 has its circumferential wall 19a arranged to fit overthe wall 8 so that when the closure cap is in place it fits over theentire top of the tray 4, thus closing the well 6, as well as the spacebetween the walls 5 and 8.

The tray or holder 4 which then constitutes the closure member for thelower end of the cylinder during the separation of the feces is thus thecarrier for the fecal matter. When the well 6 is filled with the fecalmatter by the patient, the top of the well is covered or closed by theclosure cap 19. The closure cap 19 can be a snap-on type.

The tray or holder 4 has an area which extends laterally beyond thecylinder when fitted thereon and the tray is thus made of a sufficientdiameter to enable it to act as a supporting base for the cylinder,preventing it from tipping over. It also serves to collect any of thesolution that might drip off when the slide is placed in position. Thepaddle or scoop 11, being connected to closure cap 19 by a frangibleneck 9, can be torn off and be used to transfer feces to the container.

The strainer 3 acts as a piston and snugly but slidably fits within thecylinder and can be pushed down into the cylinder to the required extentand below the level of the fecal matter mixture by means of the attachedrod 15. The eggs in such mixture have a specific gravity less than thatof the solution and thus will continually strain upwardly toward theslide. The number and size of the holes 18 can be varied, the purpose ofthe strainer 3 being to keep fecal material from floating upwardly withthe eggs.

When the solution is placed in the cylinder the feces is broken up andthe strainer is placed in the solution. Solution is added until it formsa meniscus at the point of overfilling. A slide is then placed on thecylinder in contact with the solution and after ten minutes the slidewill be ready to read.

It is to be noted that the cylinder 1 need not be separated from thetray during the testing procedure, but is easily removable for cleaningif not composed of readily disposable material.

Floatation or levitation of parasite ova or eggs can be accomplished byvarious substances. Solutions of sodium nitrate or sucrose, or magnesiumsulfate, or zinc sulfate, or sodium chloride can be used. Each of thesehas its own merits and what might be used is a matter of personalpreference. The main purpose of the solute is to raise the specificgravity to, say, approximately 1.18, so that the ova will float to thetop.

The structure of the present invention is such that the parts thereofmay be made readily disposable and there is a minimal handling ofobnoxious material. Continuous straining or filtration during thefloatation period occurs as ova seek to reach the surface by passingthrough the strainer. The tray 4, fitted on the end of the cylinder addsstability to the device and is arranged to catch any overflow of thefecal matter. The closure cap 19 for the tray can receive the name ofthe patient to thus identify the specimen. These and other advantageswill be apparent to those skilled in this art.

The device is particularly suitable for use in veterinary work as inanalyzing the feces of dogs or cats for the presence of ova, larvae, andparasites, such as the cysts of certain protozoans. It is also suitablefor use in analyzing human feces.

In a preferred form, the device is made entirely of plastic material.For instance the tray 4 and closure cap 19 may be of a tough highpolymer, e.g. a thermoplastic polymer such as polyethylene, and may beproduced by injection molding. Either the tray 4 or the closure cap 19may carry thereon indicia giving directions for the use of the device tothe dog owner. Thus, in one preferred form printed directions, asfollows, are molded into the outwardly facing surface of cap 19:"Directions Place B.M. in Small Center Receptacle"; also molded into thesame surface of cap 19 is the word "Name" next to which there is anunmarked area preferably having a relatively rough or microscopicallypitted surface adapted to receive and hold ink, so that the name of thedog and/or owner can be written thereon, using a marking pen, before theassemblage of tray 4 and closure cap 19 is sent to the laboratory foranalysis. The other surfaces of the tray and cap preferably have theusual relatively smooth finish imparted by contact with the polishedmetal mold during the molding operation.

In a preferred form of the device the tube or cylinder 1 is also of atough high polymer, e.g. a thermoplastic polymer such as stereoregularpolypropylene. While the latter material is often somewhat cloudy inappearance it is transparent enough for the analyst to see through it toobserve the liquid level. The tight press fit between the tube 1 and theouter face of the annular wall 5 is facilitated by the fact that theseelements are made of materials which differ in rigidity or hardness sothat one element (e.g. the softer polyethylene) yields to conform to theother; to this end the internal diameter of the bottom of the tube ismade slightly less than the external diameter of the wall 5, thedimensions being such that the force fit can be effected by handpressure.

The whole device is so constructed and of such size that the variousparts may be easily manipulated by hand and may be produced at low cost;thus, they are economical to use despite the fact that they are thrownaway after a single use.

The well 6 preferably has an interior volume in the range of about onehalf to 5 cc, more preferably about 2 cc. Its internal diameter ispreferably about 0.5 to 5 cm, more preferably about 1 to 2 cm (e.g. 1.5cm). The ratio of the interior volume of the cylinder 1 to the interiorvolume of the well 6 is preferably at least about 2:1, more preferablyabove 3:1, e.g. above 5:1 or 7:1 such as about 10:1. These ratios aresuch as to provide for adequate fluidity of the mixture of feces anddiluent. Thus when the cylinder is partially filled (e.g. half filled)with diluent after being fitted to the well and the feces are thenstirred and broken up in the diluent (as by means of a suitable thinrod) the mixture of feces and diluent will be neither too thick nor toothin for analysis according to the invention. The high ratios obviouslypermit greater dilution of the feces which is desirable in that thespecific gravity of the diluent is not affected as much by the varyingwater contents of the individual feces samples and floatation of ova isthereby improved. For practical purposes higher ratios above about 10:1or 20:1 do not provide sufficient additional benefit and may make thedevice unnecessarily bulky; thus it is preferred that the ratio be wellbelow about 100:1.

The head portion 11 of paddle 10a is of a size adapted to carry theamount of feces which can fit into the well 6. Its width is asubstantial fraction (e.g. more than one-fifth) of the diameter of thewell 6, but is preferably not greater than the diameter of the well 6 sothat it will pick up a mass of fecal material narrow enough to betransferred into the well without smearing the outer walls of the well.It is flat and serves as a spatula, thus permitting the user to employit to pat down the fecal mass flat into the well and avoid having aprojecting mound of feces extending above the top of the well.

The strainer 3 is preferably likewise made of plastic material like thatof the other parts, e.g. tough but flexible polyethylene. Itscircumferential wall, or skirt, 17 functions to stabilize the strainerin its downward passage and reduce tilting thereof thus reducing anytendency for fecal material to become wedged between the outer wall ofthe strainer and the inner wall of the tube. It is also within thebroader scope of the invention for the skirt to have a thin outwardlyextending integral circumferential fin to aid in sweeping downward anysuch fecal material that may be situated along the inner wall of thetube; also the strainer may comprise a pair of parallel horizontalapertured strainer plates mounted, say about 1 to 2 cm apart on acentral vertical manipulating rod, both such plates conforming to thesize and shape of the inner wall of the tube and both preferably beingintegrally molded with the rod, without any skirt.

The holes 18 preferably have diameters well above 0.5 mm and well below1.5 mm. Particularly suitable are holes having diameters of about 1 mm.By experimentation I have found that holes of such size are large enoughnot to be clogged by fecal debris, such as the mucous and slime that arepresent in some dog feces, and at the same time are not large enough topermit the passage, by floatation through the holes, of such an amountof fecal matter as to significantly interfere with the microscopicexamination. Preferably the holes are closely spaced and substantiallythe entire face of the bottom wall is perforated, as is indicated inFIG. 5 of the drawing.

The rod portion 15 of strainer 3 is preferably appreciably shorter thanthe height of the cylinder. Thus, when the strainer is placed in thecylinder it can be pushed down to force the suspended fecal mattertoward the bottom of the cylinder (allowing parasite eggs, in thediluent, to pass through the holes in the strainer) until the top of therod portion 15 is below the top of the cylinder. In this position thetop of the rod portion will not interfere with the meniscus or with theslide which is placed on top of the cylinder. The top of the cylinderlike its bottom, is preferably at a right angle to the axis of thecylinder (as shown in the drawing) so that the slide placed thereon willbe substantially level. It will be understood that the diameter of thetop of the cylinder may be made larger than that of the bottom. Thus itis advantageous to make the cylinder very slightly larger at the top,e.g. for ease of molding.

As mentioned previously the tray or holder 4 is of such outer dimensionsas to form a stable supporting base for the cylinder, even when amicroscope slide is placed on top of the latter. In one typicalembodiment this base is about 4 cm across while the cylinder is about 5(e.g. 5.5) cm high and about 2 to 3 cm in external diameter.

Methods for fecal analysis without the use of a filtering element areknown in the art, e.g. the "Willis technique". While less desirable, itis within the broader scope of the invention to employ the device andprocess of the invention without a filter. The microscope slide (whichmay be the cover glass portion thereof) becomes rather dirty of coursebut the ova can be detected thereon if numerous enough. When no filteris employed the other steps of the new process are otherwisesubstantially the same as described herein; the use of the novelcombination of feces collection cup and attachable tube will still makethings much easier and neater for both the sample collector and theanalyst.

It is understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merelyby way of illustration and that variations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. The "Abstract" given aboveis merely for the convenience of technical searchers and is not to begiven any weight with respect to the scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A fecal examining process for detecting the presence ofparasite material in feces, comprising providing cup means for receivingand transporting a sample of feces to be examined, providing a tube,open at both its ends, constructed and arranged to be tightly fitted tosaid cup means so that when so fitted the cup means closes one end ofsaid tube and serves as a base for said tube whereby liquid diluent canthen be poured into the other end of the tube to mix with the feces andbe retained in the tube by the presence of said cup means, placing asample of the feces to be examined in said cup means, then fitting saidtube to said cup means, pouring liquid diluent into said tube to mixwith the feces sample in said cup means, and permitting parasitematerial to float upward in said tube, through liquid diluent of higherdensity than said parasite material, to a collecting surface.
 2. A fecalexamining device comprising cup means for receiving and transporting asample of feces to be examined, and a tube, open at both its ends,constructed and arranged to be fitted to said cup means after saidsample is placed in, and transported in, said cup means with said cupmeans tightly closing one end of said tube and serving as a base forsaid tube whereby liquid diluent can then be poured into the other endof the tube to mix with the feces and be retained in the tube by thepresence of said cup means, said tube having strainer means therein toretain fecal material below while permitting diluent liquid and ovapresent in the feces to pass through said strainer means.